Enhanced Searching at an Electronic Device

Abstract

Presented herein are enhanced techniques for searching content using an electronic device. In accordance with the enhanced searching techniques, the electronic device detects a user's selection of information displayed at the electronic device. The electronic device subsequently detects that the user has dragged the selected information to a search field displayed at the electronic device and automatically identifies the information type. The electronic device conducts a search of a search space based on the selected information dragged into the search field, wherein the search is specific for the information type.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 detecting that a user has selected information displayed at an electronic device;   detecting that the user has dragged the selected information to a search field displayed at the electronic device;   automatically identifying the information type; and   conducting a search based on the selected information dragged into the search field, wherein the search is specific for the information type.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically identifying the information type comprises:
 automatically identifying the information as text.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically identifying the information type comprises:
 automatically identifying the information as an image or an image portion.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 determining that part of the image or image portion includes an image-based text representation;   converting the image-based text representation into actual text; and   conducting a text search of the search space using the actual text obtained through the conversion.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 determining whether a search engine associated with the search field supports image searching.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting that the user has selected information displayed at the electronic device comprises:
 detecting touch inputs at a touch screen of the electronic device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting that the user has dragged the selected information to the search field comprises:
 detecting that the user has dragged the selected information to a point near the beginning of the search field so as to cause information present in the search field to be replaced by the selected information.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting that the user has dragged the selected information to the search field comprises:
 detecting that the user has dragged the selected information to a point near the end of the search field so as to cause the selected information to be appended to information present in the search field.   
     
     
         9 . One or more computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to:
 detect that a user has selected information displayed at an electronic device;   detect that the user has dragged the selected information to a search field displayed at the electronic device;   automatically identify the information type; and   conduct a search based on the selected information dragged into the search field, wherein the search is specific for the information type.   
     
     
         10 . The computer readable storage media of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions operable to automatically identify the information type comprise instructions operable to:
 automatically identify the information as text.   
     
     
         11 . The computer readable storage media of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions operable to automatically identify the information type comprise instructions operable to:
 automatically identify the information as an image or an image portion.   
     
     
         12 . The computer readable storage media of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions operable to:
 determine that part of the image or image portion includes an image-based text representation;   convert the image-based text representation into actual text; and   conduct a text search of the search space using the actual text obtained through the conversion.   
     
     
         13 . The computer readable storage media of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions operable to:
 determine whether a search engine associated with the search field supports image searching.   
     
     
         14 . The computer readable storage media of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions operable to detect that the user has selected information displayed at the electronic device comprise instructions operable to:
 detect touch inputs at a touch screen of the electronic device.   
     
     
         15 . The computer readable storage media of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions operable to detect that the user has dragged the selected information to the search field comprise instructions operable to:
 detect that the user has dragged the selected information to a point near the beginning of the search field so as to cause information present in the search field to be replaced by the selected information.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable storage media of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions operable to detect that the user has dragged the selected information to the search field comprise instructions operable to:
 detect that the user has dragged the selected information to a point near the end of the search field so as to cause the selected information to be appended to information present in the search field.